Thursday, December 05, 2013

The Legacy of 1980



From my column in this week's Creative Loafing,
Jason Carter knows the odds he faces as a Democrat candidate in a Republican stronghold. While the gubernatorial challenger has a fighting chance due to his family's legacy, it'll also be his greatest challenge in 2014. To win, Jason Carter will need to resurrect the hope of his grandfather's 1976 campaign and fight the demons from his crushing defeat four years later.
I was 12 years old in 1980. Too young to truly understand what occurred, but old enough to have the "moment" imprint on my memory. Many others around my age have similar experiences and in many of my Republican friends it has become a shibboleth - a shining light on the road to Damascus.


Honoring the past is worthwhile pursuit. In politics, becoming chained to it is dangerous. Jason Carter's recent appearance in Athens may indicate Republicans will have to rely on more than historical bromides to beat back the upstart.